You get a call from a scammer pretending to be with the IRS, saying you'll be arrested, deported or you will lose your driver's license if you don't pay taxes you owe right now.

You're told to wire the money or put the money on a prepaid debit card.

The caller may have a heavy foreign accent.

They may use common names and fake badge numbers.

The fake IRS agents sometimes turn hostile during the call and may even use threatening language, which an IRS employee would never do.

Some can provide your social security number and have a fake caller ID.

Warning signs:

The first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the blue or by email, but through official correspondence sent through the US Postal Service.

No employee from the IRS will threaten you.

The IRS will not ask you to wire money, pay with a prepaid debit card, or share your credit card information over the phone. The IRS does not demand that taxpayers use a specific payment method, like a prepaid card, when paying owed taxes.

What you should do:

Don't give the caller any information such as your financial or other personal information.